UK: 14th Annual Media Awards: Winners announced
The awards recognise excellence in human rights reporting and acknowledge journalism's significant contribution to the UK public's awareness and understanding of human rights issues.
The ceremony, sponsored by PCI:Fitch, was hosted by BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson CBE.
As well as seven categories covering newspapers, periodicals, photojournalism, radio, TV news and documentaries, there was an award for a UK journalist at the start of their career and one for a foreign journalist putting him or herself at risk by reporting on the human rights situation in their own country.
Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:
"The media has a vital part to play in mobilising public opinion on human rights issues. It is a role it needs to play well if we are to prompt governments and international organisations to act. The Amnesty International Media Awards celebrate the skills and dedication of those journalists who have increased public awareness and understanding of these crucial issues, often placing their own lives at risk to do so."
THE WINNERS
NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS
London – the world in one city, Leo Benedictus, The Guardian
Judges: Anthony Barnett, George Monbiot, Michael Mansfield, Ziauddin Sardar, Peter Preston, Maggie Paterson.
NATIONS AND REGIONS
Fascism in Russia, Billy Briggs, The Herald Magazine on Saturday, Scotland
Judges: Brice Dickson, Martin Wainwright, Fadia Faqir, Mark O’Callaghan, Deirdre Forbes, Caroline Moorehead, Patrick Corrigan.
PERIODICALS
America's Gulag, Stephen Grey, New Statesman
Judges: Clive Stafford Smith, Gillian Slovo, Fareena Alam, Samira Ahmed, Greg Neale, Maggie Paterson.
PHOTO JOURNALISM
Flames of Desperation, Nicola Kurtz, Sunday Times Magazine
Judges: Heidi Bradner, Mark Sealy, Jon Levy, Liz Jobey, Paul Wombell, Maggie Paterson.
RADIO
Bhopal, BBC Radio 4, Susan Roberts – Director & Producer
Judges: Joan Bakewell, Audrey Carville, Francesa Silvani, Lizo Mzimba, Aasmah Mir, Mike Blakemore.
TV DOCUMENTARY
Panorama - The New Killing Fields, BBC, Darren Kemp – Producer, Hilary Andersson – Reporter
Judges: Jana Bennett, Alan Hayling, John Battesk, Rosemary Hollis, Anton Antonowicz, Mike Blakemore.
TV NEWS
Falluja Forensics Broadcast Company - Channel 4 News Independents, Production Company - Guardian Films Tara Sutton – Director
Judges: Nick Clarke, Yigal Chazan, Adrian Wells, Will Hutton, Mike Blakemore.
GABY RADO
For a journalist at the start of their career, in memory of Gaby Rado who died in Iraq two years ago.
Ali A Fadhil, Channel 4 Independents Fund and Guardian Films
Judges: Anna Ford, Peter Wilby, Andrew Macdonald, Martha Kearney, Melanie McFadyean, Mike Blakemore.
SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS JOURNALISM UNDER THREAT
Marielos Monzón, Guatemala
Marielos Monzón has been subjected to death threats and intimidation because of her work in Guatemala highlighting human rights abuses.
As well as a regular radio programme on Guatemala City's Radio Universidad, Marielos has a weekly column in daily newspaper Prensa Libre.
Amnesty International, which helped her to temporarily leave the country in 2003 because of fears for her life when several intruders broke into her house and she received numerous anonymous phone calls, believes that this award may benefit her through increased international visibility and recognition, contributing to her protection and that of others.
Marielos Monzón will be speaking in London on 26 September. Find out more and send an appeal to the Guatemalan authorities...
Find out more about the 2005 Media Awards... /b>